Electrolytic converter.



No. 699.964.. PatentedfMay. I3.' |902.

F. H. LONG.

ELECTROLYTIC CONVERTER.

(Application led Oct. 1B, 1900.

UNITED STATES PATENT EEICE.`

FREDERIC H. LONG, oEcincAeo, 1LLINo1s,AssIeNoETo Ross J. EEATTY,

' TRUSTEE, or MUNCIE, INDIANA.

ELEcTRoLYTlc CONVERTER.

sPEorErcATroN- forming part of Letters ratent No. 699,964, datea'may 13,1902.

Application-filed October 18, 1900.'l Serial No. 33,420. (No model.) l

To all whom #may concern: p

Be it known that L FEEDEEIO H. LONG, a

`resident of Chicagoook county, Illinois,have

anode terminals, and `thereby increase the electric resistance andmaterially adect the; efficiency of the apparatus. The presentinventionseeks Vto provide means to effect 'the release of the gases soaccumulated'beneath the diaphragm, while retainingthe arrangement andadvantages of the former construction.

The nature of the invention will appearin detail from the descriptionfollowingl and be more fully pointed out by claims at'its conclusion. fY ,y

The drawing displays the preferred from of my improved converter inlongitudinal vertical cross-section. p p

The details of construction and of operation of the converter or reducerare practi-y `cally the same as set forthvin'jmy former patent and inwhich thewood-lined metal tankbody 10 is provided with a valvedinlet-pipe 11, through which the pulverized,ore,mixed with common saltin solution and quicklime, is admitted to the desired level, as sho-wnby the gage-glass 12.

The` cup-shaped bottom '13 is removably secured to .the body of the tankIby suitable. bolts and is provided with a wooden lining,

13", supporting the shallow' copper pan' lll,y which constitutes thecathode element of thel reducer. The panis in metallic connection withadepending circular series of copper rods 15, extending through thebottom 13 and united at their outer ends to the copper ring 16, havingthe'wire-terminal 17 connected therewith. Supported on the lining 132Lof the bottom is a horizontally-disposed dished diaphragm consisting ofa 'perforated wooden' grid 18, cotton-duck or canvas cover 19, andinterposed layers of bibulous paper, which servesto exclude the solid,while the liquid portions ,of the charge may pass through, and themetalheld therein in solution'may be deposited at the cathode-pan.

Supported on a ring 20 and held in place Y by blocks 21 is a'conicalpartition or spreader 22, havingnotches 22a at intervals in its outerThe ancdes consist of hard carbon poleheads 23, arranged in circularseries beneath the partition 22, andiarejeacnunited by a long copper rod24:,exten'ding upward through the top of the converter to a copper ring25, which is connected by thev line-wire 26with the source of theelectricity. The rods 24 are insulated from the top by suitable sleeves27.

The charge is maintained in circulation to thoroughly agitato the massto aid the chemical action of the solvent, to keep the surface ofthediaphragm or pad free. from slime, and to direct the charge to flowalong between the anodes and thel diaphragm, so as to successivelyexpose all parts of the batch to the disruptive iniiuence of theelectric current. This circulation is effected in my formerconstruction'by an internal pump; but I preferv to'employ anl externalcentrifugal pump, as v28, the inlet-.port of which is connected by theelbow-pipe 29, projecting through the bottom of the reducer andextending above the diaphragm. -The outlet-port of the pump is connectedbythe valved return-pipe 30, opening Yfor Aconvenience into thefeed-pipe 11. By Athe pump the contents are constantly withdrawn fromthe bottom ofthe converter and returned anew through the top, from whichit iiows over the partition or spreader 22,through Anotches'22,fan'dbetween the anodes 23 and the diaphragm, the-'surface of the, latterbeing th us swept fre'e of all slime. ,Valved exitpipes 31 and v32 areprovided by which the chargev maybe run oif'through the lformer by aidof the pump and through the latter by ,ggtavity. Vent-pipe 33,fprovidedwith shutoff cock 3l and valve 35, serves to relieve any excessivepressure of gases or vapors evolved during the decomposition ofthecharge. After a number of charges have been run through the converterthe bottom 13 is removed and IOO the current.

the metallic deposits on the cathode`pan 14 cleaned up. Petcock 36 isprovided to permit rich solution beneath the diaphragm to be drawn offin advance of the removal of the bottom 13.

The structure thus far set forth is much the same as that described morein detail in my former patent, No. 650,646. It has been found that inthe operation of the converter or reducer as so constructed theelectrical resistance gradually increased during the run without anyapparent cause, thereby necessitating considerable increase in thevoltage of It was clear that this increased resistance was not due toimperfect circulation of the charge, or to accumulations on the surfaceof the diaphragm, or to any of the changes in the composition of thecharge. I have, however, discovered that during the run of such aconverter or reducer gases and vapors evolved by the chemical andcaloriiic eects will accumulate and be entrapped b eneath the diaphragmof cotton-duck and bibulous paper, so that the resistance to the passageof the current between the cathode and anode through the electrolyte ismaterially increased and the electrolytic action is interfered with. Toremedy this defect, I connect to the space below the diaphragm a pipe37, which extends upwardly above the level of the solution contained inthat space to afford an exit for such gases and vapors as are developedand entrapped beneath the diaphragm. Preferably I connect this pipe 37with the escape-pipe between valves 34 and 35, by which the gases may becarried back into the converter or to a mixing-tank, (such as shown inmy Patent No. 650,G4G,) so that the free chlorin contained in the gaswill be utilized. I also preferably bend the lower end of the pipe inthe form of a U-shaped portion 38, the end of which projects to someextent through the bottom of the reducer and affords a suitablelocationfor gage-glass 39, petcock 41, and thermometer 42, by which thecondition of therich solution below the diaphraghm may be noted and theelectric current regulated accordingly. This U-shaped portion will notact as a trap to prevent the escape of the air or gas, since the liquidbelow the diaphragm is in a state of violent ebullition and the gasesare developed under sufficient pressure to over- 4come the hydrostaticcolumn in this portion 38. The long upwardly-extending pipe acts as aseparator'to prevent any of the rich solution being entrained andcarried oi With the escaping gas; but the pipe 37 is provided with avalved pipe 40, leading to a suitable receptacle, and will serve tocollect any small portion of valuable rich solution so forced up intothe pipe.

By the discovery of the fact that gases were evolved and entrappedbeneath the diaphragm and by the application of this simple contrivanceI have decreased the electrical resistance and materially increased theefficiency and economy of the apparatus. It is obvious that any suitableupwardly-projecting vent which willallow ready exit for the gases, butwould not permit the passage of any appreciable amount of liquid,wouldperform the function of my improved device. I do not, therefore, wish tobe limited to the precise'details ot' structure set forth.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

l. In electrolytic converters, the combination with the closed reducervessel having the anode and cathode terminals and the interposeddiaphragm dividing the vessel into upper anode and lower cathodechambers, of a combined separator and vent-pipe connected to the cathodechamber beneath the diaphragm extending upwardly above the level of saiddiaphragm and having a free outlet for the gases, substantially asdescribed 2. In electrolytic converters, the combination with the closedreducer vessel having the anode and cathode terminals and an interposed,substantially horizontal diaphragm dividing the vessel into upper anodeand lower cathode chambers, of a combined separator and vent-pi peconnected to the cathodecham ber beneath the diaphragm and extendingupwardly beyond the diaphragm and having separate outlets for the gasesand liquids,sub stantially as described.

3. In elect-rolytic converters, the combination with the closed reducervessel having the anode and cathode terminals and an interposeddiaphragm dividing the vessel into upper anode and lower cathodechambers, of an external, combined separator and vent-pipe having aU-shaped lower end opening through the bottom of the reducer vessel intothe cathode-chamber beneath the diaphragm, extending upwardly above thelevel of said diaphragm and having a free outlet for the gases,substantially as described.

4. In electrolytic converters, the combination with a reducer Vesselhaving anode and cathode terminals and an interposed diaphragm dividingthe vessel, of an external, upright, separator and vent-pipe openinginto the space beneath the diaphragm, and having a connection with thetop of the vessel substantially as described.

5. In electrolytie converters, the combination with a reducer vesselhaving anode and cathode terminals and an interposed diaphragm dividingthe vessel, of an external, upright, separator and vent-pipe openinginto the space beneath the diaphragm and having a branch intermediateits ends substantially as described.

FREDERIC II. LONG.

IVitnesses:

ALBERTA ADAMICK, HENRY I.. CLAPP.

IOC)

IIO

